Culinary utensil closure



Aug. 20, 1935. H, R. WHITTIER 2,012,151

CULINARY UTENSIL CLOSURE 7 Filed Jan. 19, 1935 Patented Aug. 20,

PATENT 7 OFFICE,

. CULINARY UTENSIL CLOSURE Horace R. Whittier, Pequabuck, Conn.

Application January 19, 1935, Serial No. 2,497

7 2 cl ims. (01. 5s s) This invention relates to closures for pots, pails, pans, kettles, skillets and similar cooking utensils. When food is cooked in such utensils, whether they are heated by electricity, .gas, oil, or coal, more or less steam or vapor is generated in the interior and frequently about the exterior.

' It is desirableto be able toobserve the temperature to which the matter in the utensils is being With utensils previously provided With thermostatic thermometers the closures have subjected.

been so designed and the thermometers applied in such manner that steam or vapor sooner or later leaks around the joints into the thermometers and affects their action to a degree which destroys their -efl"1ciency or at least causes an objectionable discoloration of the thermometer dial.

, The object of the present invention is to so construct the closure of such a utensil that a thermostatic thermometer may be readily and cheaply applied in such manner that the active elements will besurely protected from the destructive or disfiguring effects of any steam or vapor generated in or-about the utensil.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. l is a sectional view of the closure cover.

Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of the closure with I a thermostatic thermometer about to be applied.

Fig. 3 isa similar view with the thermometer applied. Y a

.Fig. 4 is a view looking up into the thermometer.

The cover l which is illustrated is stamped, pressed, or spun to shape of sheet metal. This cover may be of any size and shape, depending of course upon the receptacle which it is to close. When the cover is formed it is provided. with a perforation 2 and the edges of the perforation are turned inward so as to form a flange 3. In-

serted through the flanged cover perforation is a cup .4 that has a closed bottom 5. This cup may be stamped, pressed or spun to shape from sheet metal and it is provided with an outwardly extending flange 6 around its upper edge. The cupotherwise permanently attached to the cover flange in such manner that the joint between the wall of the cup and the flange will be gas-tight.

The thermometer 1 is of a common type having inside of the dial plate 8 a thermo-responsive arm 9 that is connected with a rocker l attached to.an arbor H which extends through the dial plate and carries a pointer l2 that moves across the scale l3 on the front of the dial plate. This active mechanism is contained in a casing I4 which preferably has an open bottom and a flange I around the front edge. The diameter of this casing is'such that it fits closely but removably into the cup 4 that is permanently attached to the cover. When the thermometer is located in the cup the flange l5 around the front of the thermometer rests upon the cup flange 6 which is on top of the cover. It'is preferred to have the thermometer flange a little less in diameter than the cup flange to whichitclosely fits so that more resistance is offered to inward seepage between the flanges of anye'xterior atmospheric steam or vapor, than would be the case if the thermometer flange extended beyond the cup flange and provided a pocket for the collection of steam or vapor.

With the construction described the cover and '1 its flange 3 are integral so that there is' no joint between them for the escape of steamer vapor, andwhen the cup with its flange B is permanently attached to the cover and its flange there is no liability of gas or vapor escaping through this s around the cup, that vapor 'wouldpass to the atmosphere and not seep into the cup and deleteriously affect the active elements of the thermometer.

The invention claimed is:- p I l. A culinary utensil closure comprising a cover having a perforationwith anintegral flange extending downwardly from the edge of the perforation, an outwardly opening cup having an integral closed bottom with the exterior wall of the cup permanently attached to and sealed fluid tight to the interior wall of said flange, and a casing containing, a thermostatic thermometer thrust into and closely but removably fitting said 2. A culinary utensil closure comprising a cover having a perforation with an integral flange extending downwardly from the, edge of the perforation, an outwardly opening cup thathas an integral closed bottom and an exterior flange about its open end, said cup being permanently attached to and sealed fluid tight to the wall of said'flange, and a casing containing a thermostatic thermometer thrust into and closely but removably fitting said cup..

HORACE R. WHITTIER. 

